Norfolk’s cultural champions were celebrated in style on Friday night at a glittering ceremony at Norwich Cathedral.

The Norfolk Arts Awards, which is organised by Stash Kirkbride and Peter Beck, is part of the Hostry Festival running until October 28 which is an autumn festival of art, theatre and music.

The event is now in its seventh year and the winners are decided by the Arts Awards Panel, made up by working professionals in the county, including Outstanding Achievement, Norfolk Icon and Lifetime Achievement.

The Eastern Daily Press People’s Choice Awards winners are the only ones decided by the public and are for the best individual, small organisation and large organisation.

Fiona Ryder, on behalf of City College Norwich, said: “This year’s recipient of the Norfolk Icon Award sponsored by City College Norwich is someone whose standing and reputation amongst his contemporaries is enviable beyond measure. His works have been exhibited all over the UK and all over the world, a number of them are on permanent display at the country’s leading exhibition centres of excellence.

WINNER: COLIN SELF

EDP PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

Each year the general public are asked by the EDP to nominate their favourite artists, arts organisations, venues or projects.

Nine nominees are then shortlisted by the Arts Awards Panel and the EDP in each of the categories of individual artist, best small organisation or project and best large organisation or project. The public then vote for their favourite on each of those lists.

1. Best Individual or Act

ANNA MUDEKA

Anna is a musician and dancer, specialising in music from Sub-Saharan Africa. She teaches and performs across the county,and all over the world. She runs the Southborough Festival of World Music and has founded the The Mudeka Foundation, funding education for orphans in her native Zimbabwe. She is currently working on Kure Kure a new theatrical and multi-media show.

This year he co-wrote At The Turning Of The Tide for Crude Apache and An Honest Gentlemen for Stuff Of Dreams. He also leads and plays guitar with The Punch House Band. He regularly uses Norfolk stories and characters in his work.

CAT CHAPMAN

Cat is founder and Artistic Director of the all–male youth Legacy Dance Company UK. She is an ex professional performer and qualified dance teacher and is dedicated to providing quality dance and theatre training to young people in East Anglia.

Gaining a reputation nationally for high quality blues music. This festival would not be thriving and bringing new trade to Dereham without the dedication and drive of founders Doreen and Stewart Aitken.

Norwich based community and participatory arts organisation Tin House, experts in transforming ideas and imagination into practical, creative reality. Ali Mackenzie designed, sculptured and, with a dedicated Tin House team, built the five stunning elephant puppets that entranced and enthralled thousands of people at this year’s Lord Mayor’s celebrations, organised and run by Norwich City Council.

SHERINGHAM LITTLE THEATRE

Drama, music, live screenings, cinema and café combine to make this a vibrant arts venue in the heart of Sheringham. It combines traditional theatre, summer drama season, panto, amateur stage shows, and a strong youth section.

The city’s sculpture trail organised by Norfolk children’s charity Break, in partnership with Wild in Art. This is the third GoGo trail and 2018 celebrating 50 years of the charity, it is made up of 50 sculptures in Norwich, 18 around Norfolk and 164 Leverets created by the learning programme, GoGoCreate.

NORFOLK AND NORWICH FESTIVAL

This flagship arts festival for the East of England has an annual program spanning music, theatre, literature, visual arts, circus, dance, and free outdoor events. Each May the festival transforms the city streets and offers unparalleled opportunities to see artists from around the world, delivered direct to our doorstep, all of which goes to make Norfolk such a wonderful place to live.

Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Award, in association with Norwich High School for Girls

The Outstanding Contribution to The Arts Award, in association with Norwich High School For Girls is presented to anyone who has made a significant impact on our cultural landscape, either during the last 12 months, or indeed over a longer period of time.

PAUL BARNES, Presenter of The Late Paul Barnes jazz program on BBC Radio Norfolk 2009 - 2018

BELONA GREENWOOD, founder of Words & Women project 2011 – 2018

MARK HAZELL Marketing Director Norwich Theatre Royal 2009 – 2018

MICHAEL ROONEY for his fundraising work with at the Vauxhall Centre, the Hamlet Centre and Break Charity!

Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Norse Group and Norwich City Council.

This award goes to an individual or organisation that has given so much to their art form, in support of other artists, reaching numerous audiences and participants, providing something exceptional for their local community, over a long period of time.

Martin Scheimerer, Lord Mayor of Norwich on behalf of sponsors Norse, said: “Famous in his own right in the 1960s for his band, who enjoyed chart success, touring with some of the most famous names in the business including the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, he and his wife and family then fell in love with Great Yarmouth and have ever since been the owners of the only surviving total circus buildings in the country.

“And it is so fitting that in this special 250 year of Circus the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome is at the very heart of the celebrations, with artists from all over the globe coming to see and take part in all that is on offer, thanks entirely to this brilliantly charismatic man.”

WINNER: PETER JAY OF THE GREAT YARMOUTH HIPPODROME CIRCUS

Stash Kirkbride, co-founder of the Hostry Festival, said: “It’s very satisfying to see the cross section of the community being nominated for arts awards this year and we are very grateful to the arts panel for all their support in helping to choose who is nominated as well as the readers of the Eastern Daily Press for their contribution to our People’s Choice Awards.

“The crowning glory of the event on Friday night were the outstanding achievement, Norfolk icon and lifetime achievement awards and the recipients of which were so deserving of their community’s recognition

Lastly, 2019 already begins with your chance to get in touch with us early to let us know any thoughts you have on next year’s nominees on info@hostryfestival.org”

Four annual events make up the core of the Hostry Festival at Norwich Cathedral: the Norfolk Arts Awards, Total Ensemble Theatre Company, Paint Out Norwich and festival Central Production Boy In The Lighthouse.

Boy In The Lighthouse has been devised over seven months, working with people with additional needs and life challenges as well as those with little or no performance experience.